Wednesday, January 19, 2011

At Bunco about a year ago, Erica made us this salad. I have since had it at the restaurant in Utah a few times and this recipe is just as good. I'd say I like it better because I can choose the proportions of the ingredients on my salad. At Bunco this year, Erica made the same recipe for us but with chicken instead. Just as tasty! Just substitute chicken breast for the pork roast. There are a lot of recipes that go into making this salad, so I will just post the link to the recipe Erica shared with us. (By the way, the blogger Erica is not the same as the bunco Erica :) Thanks for opening my eyes to this wonderful meal, Erica!

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Variations:

Sprinkle brown sugar on top just before baking. Gives the bread a nice sweet crunch on top.

Substitute applesauce for half of the butter.

Add some vanilla and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Use applesauce to compensate for not enough bananas. Doesn't hurt the flavor at all!

Monday, January 10, 2011

This is the perfect date night at home treat. It makes two individual servings of chocolate lava cake...and it uses basic ingredients. These recipes often call for coffee, and since we don't drink coffee, I haven't been able to make them. This recipe (which I found on foodgawker) looks yummo and I can't wait to try it!

Molten Chocolate Cakes for Twofrom America's Test Kitchen2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract1 large egg, at room temperature2 tablespoons granulated sugarpinch of salt1 tablespoon all-purpose flourcocoa powder (for the ramekins)confectioners' sugar (for dusting, optional)Preheat oven to 400 F. Generously butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust them with cocoa powder. Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted and smooth. I like to do 30-second bursts at 50% power and stir in between each. In total, it'll probably take about 1 1/2 - 3 minutes, depending on your microwave.In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a hand mixer on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the egg forms soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Still beating, gradually add the sugar and salt. Once incorporated, beat for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow in color.Use a rubber spatula to transfer the egg mixture to the bowl containing the melted butter and chocolate. Sift the flour over the top, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together, just until incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins, smoothing the tops with your spatula. Put the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cakes have puffed slighty and jiggle just a bit in the center when gently shaken. Immediately upon removing the cakes from the oven, run a knife around the edges of the ramekins. Invert the ramekins onto serving plates and let them sit for about 1 minute or so, until the cakes release from the ramekins. Remove the ramekins and, if using, dust the cakes with confectioners' sugar then serve immediately.

About Me

I love to play with paper, photoshop, and books. He loves to scroll saw. And we both love to play board games with our friends. We love spending time with our family and we've gotten good at the long drives to go see them.

About this blog...

These are some of our family's favorite recipes. Let me know if you try them and how you like them and how you change them. I rarely cook without changing something in a recipe, so it won't offend me any. I'd love to know new ways to try these foods and if your family loves them too.